[noshed]

Mine was 5deg C on Saturday. I hope it will warm up a bit during the week.

[greenhead]

Where do I get a soil temp thermometer from?  What type is it - does it have a lance that pushes into the soil?

Thanks for any info.

[mumofstig]

all I know is....I wouldn't have liked to test it with my bottom this morning.....still a bit frosty for that kind of test

[noshed]

I got mine in Homebase I think. It's just a normal thermometer with a metal bit at the end which you can shove into the soil. Like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/West-253-Soil-Thermometer/dp/B0001P1AX0

[noshed]

So true MOS

[Ivah]

Noshed - how do you fancy doing a bit of science with your soil thermometer?
I haven't got one and I've always wondered which warms the soil up most, black or clear polythene. I think you would need to check the temperature morning and evening to get a useful answer.

[noshed]

I'm not up the plot often enough to do that but any sort of cover for a few days does help - I think John did an article on this recently.

[Salmo]

The surface layer will heat and cool according to the day. The right place to measure is 4 inches down.

[Pompey Spud]

I use a digit.

[viettaclark]

You stick 1 in the ground.....?

[Dan78]

i would quite like to measure the temperature of the soil on my plot...but if I did i still wouldnt know what temperature to let it get before planting! 

[Salmo]

8 degrees C is the accepted temperature that things start to grow. Some crops will germinate below this.

The soil temperature in the top two inches is often high enough to start germination but if the soil below is cold, where the roots will develop, progress will be slow and the bugs will eat them faster than they can grow.

See
http://www.adrians.utvinternet.com/GoodEarth/vegseed.htm

The piece on there about sowing in the afternoon to get better germination is interesting. Anyone ever come across this?

[realfood]

If you do not have a thermometer, you can get a very rough idea of the likely ground temperature by checking the average daily max daytime temp over 7 days. Do the same for the average min night time temp. Average the two and that may be close to the soil temp. eg av daytime max say 12c plus the aver night time min temp say 4c / 2= 7c soil temp.